Minimally invasive surgery is performed without making a major incision or opening, resulting in reduced trauma for the patient and yielding significant cost savings. These result from shorter hospitalization times and reduced therapy requirements. Other benefits of minimally invasive surgery include less pain, less need for post-surgical pain medication, less scarring, and less likelihood of complications related to the incision.
Minimally invasive surgery is defined either as based on the operative procedure (e.g., small incisions) or the outcome (e.g., reduced surgical complications or costs). However, minimally invasive surgery is not the same as minor surgery. Some “minimally invasive” procedures, e.g., coronary artery bypass surgery, still are major operations requiring a hospital stay.
In minimally invasive surgery, a miniature camera is typically introduced into the body through a small incision. The camera transmits images to a video monitor, enabling the physician to diagnose and, if necessary, treat a variety of conditions. To do this, the physician inserts surgical instruments and auxiliary devices (collectively, “minimally invasive surgical tools”), such as irrigation and drainage devices, through one or more additional small incisions. Such surgical instruments can be for laparoscopic surgery, catheterization or endoscopy, as well as for enabling telesurgery and telepresence. Compared to open surgery, however, minimally invasive surgery presents limitations in visual and haptic perceptions, and creates challenges unique to this type of surgery. One of the major concerns is the potential for tissue damage, possibly caused by inappropriate use of force.